Mattingly wants Puig to make an impact right at the start

Feb. 24, 2014

Updated 3:26 p.m.

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Yasiel Puig is likely to begin the season as the Dodgers' leadoff hitter. Manager Don Mattingly said he believes his right fielder could benefit from more experience before he's ready to hit in the heart of the order. PAUL SANCYA, AP

Yasiel Puig is likely to begin the season as the Dodgers' leadoff hitter. Manager Don Mattingly said he believes his right fielder could benefit from more experience before he's ready to hit in the heart of the order. PAUL SANCYA, AP

GLENDALE, Ariz. – Dodgers manager Don Mattingly has seen enough to predict Yasiel Puig will spend most of his career batting in the middle of the lineup.

But now is probably not the time and this is probably not the team. Mattingly considers Puig his No. 1 option to bat leadoff this year.

“I like him up top. He’s exciting,” Mattingly said. “I think he likes batting leadoff, to be honest with you. That’s not a bad guy to start the game off with.”

Depending on the makeup of the Dodgers’ outfield on any given day, batting Puig leadoff would allow Mattingly to move Carl Crawford down to No. 2 (where he has been more productive over his career) and set up a right-left rotation through the top half of the order – Puig, Crawford, the right-handed Hanley Ramirez and left-handed Adrian Gonzalez.

“The thing we talk about with leadoff – and I hear all kinds of thinking about it – that guy gets an extra at-bat,” Mattingly said. “Sometimes … the lineup turns over that one last time and you’re a run down -- it’s nice to have a guy sitting there that has a chance to hit the ball out of the park. He’s dynamic. …

“The pieces only fit together certain ways. You want your best guys getting the most at-bats. … We’ll try different combinations. Sometimes it’s the combination of players you have on the field. Sometimes Yasiel may have to hit fifth. He may be back there because we have to protect certain guys.”

Mattingly said he doesn’t think Puig is ready for a middle-of-the-order role quite yet. He hit just .234 with runners in scoring position last year, .259 with runners on base.

“Quite honestly, he hasn’t proven himself to be an RBI guy yet,” Mattingly said. “What he did with guys in scoring position – he’s emotional still. For me, he needs to learn to slow down, calm down up there with men in scoring position. You see in those situations, he gets a little excited. That’s part of learning to be that guy. You look at Adrian – he’s calm. Hanley – he knows what’s going on. It’s calmer. That’s probably just experience with Yasiel.

“Some of these things come with time. You can’t just stick 2,000 at-bats on a guy.”

You can’t stick 2,000 at-bats on a guy – but you can add 26 pounds in one off-season. Puig weighed 251 pounds when he arrived for spring training, 26 pounds heavier than at the end of the season.

Mattingly said the weight gain is not an issue for Puig, who started last season in the 235- to 240-pound range and lost weight during the season, down to 225, “which may be too light for him.”

Mattingly told reporters last week the Dodgers would be mindful of Clayton Kershaw’s workload and didn’t think it was a good idea to pitch him three times in the first six games (March 22 in Australia, March 30 in San Diego and April 4 in the home opener), even with regular rest or more each time. Ever since, Mattingly has been evasive when asked about the Dodgers’ pitching plans – particularly on whether Kershaw will pitch one of the two games in Australia against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

“We’re just basically preparing and not willing to talk about it beyond that,” he said Monday in his latest sidestep.

Mattingly said the Dodgers’ front four starting pitchers – Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Hyun-Jin Ryu and Dan Haren – are all targeting their workouts for those early games as a precaution in case any of them encounters physical issues this spring. Only Josh Beckett (rehabbing from surgery) has been ruled out.

Beyond that, however, Mattingly would not say whether Kershaw would pitch in Australia if healthy.

“We're not going there. We haven't announced a starter yet,” he said when pressed. “We have four guys getting ready for Australia.”

According to Greinke, though, none of them is excited about it. Greinke kicked up a dust storm of controversy over the weekend when he was quoted saying there was “absolutely zero excitement” about going to Australia.

Asked for his response Monday, Mattingly said he loved the idea of going to Australia and put on a big smile as he said it.

After pitching two scoreless innings in Monday’s intrasquad game, Haren joked with reporters when asked about the trip, saying he couldn’t be as blunt as Greinke.

“I’m new on the team,” Haren said. “I only have a one-year contract.”

Haren acknowledged there are challenges to making the historic trip – including the 15-hour plane ride each way.

“That's a long trip and it's going to be tough,” Haren said. “At the same time, those are going to be regular-season games and we have to be ready to turn the switch on.

“In terms of the actual trip, it’s going to be a lot to handle, especially for the starting pitchers (getting ready for an early start). But, I mean -- we're going to be flying on a charter (plane) and staying at a nice hotel, all expenses paid. So I don't want to be complaining about it. We all understand why we're doing it -- to build the brand internationally.”

NOTES

No runs were scored in Monday’s three-inning intrasquad game. The defensive highlight was outfield prospect Joc Pederson reaching over the short fence in right field to catch a long drive by Andre Ethier. Haren, Paco Rodriguez, Chris Reed and Jamey Wright combined to allow just four hits in the scoreless workout. Mattingly gave this review of Sunday’s intrasquad game before Monday’s workout. “Some things I liked. Some things I don’t like. Really glad it’s February still.” …

The Dodgers will start Kershaw in the Cactus League opener against the Diamondbacks on Wednesday followed by Greinke on Thursday, Ryu on Friday and Haren on Saturday. …

Mattingly said he expects to get a briefing on the new replay review and home plate collisions rules from MLB officials Tuesday. …

The Dodgers’ new channel, SportsNet LA, is scheduled to launch Tuesday night. It is available only to Time Warner Cable subscribers – channel 249 in standard definition, 431 in high-def.

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